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Submitted: 1/12/12 • Approved: 2/11/12 • Last Updated: 2/17/13 • R200396-G0-S3
Ralph Kahler born in Davenport, Iowa, died in Colome, South Dakota Dec. 10, 1933 when he accidentally fell from a train. He was buried in Winside, Nebraska on Dec. 14, 1933. The burial or removal permit has the dates wrong (it says Nov. and should be Dec.) The Funeral register from the Colome city office-has remains of Ralph Henry Kahler, ordered by Harry Kahler (his age is 22 years 10 months and 20 days) Fall from train labor date of death Dec. 10, 33 date of burial Dec. 14, 33 coffin size 6’ 3” . I’m assuming the incorrect date of Nov. on the Burial or removal book was copied from the Funeral register and the line above Ralphs was a Nov. Funeral register month and accidently copied the month wrong.
Ralph was born to Eddie (Edward) Kahler and Mary Ruschmann Kahler in 1911. His father Eddie died in 1916, leaving his mother with 3 young boys, Ralph being the youngest, brothers Raymond born about 1908 and Walter born about 1910. His mother Mary remarried a younger brother of Eddie’s, Harry (Henry signed the Funeral register in Colome, SD, he was another brother of Eddie and Harry). Harry was somewhat younger and also younger than his wife Mary. ( this can all be proved on the census records 1910 records Brenna ? (hard to read) precinct, Wayne , Neb. 1920 census Winside, Wayne, Neb. ( I visited a cousin of Ralph Kahler’s living in assisted living in Winner, SD. and she has confirmed the whole story of her cousin dating a gal from Colome, SD and falling from a train at Colome, SD. the year she was a senior in High School in Colome, and she remembers attending his funeral in Nebraska with an uncle and aunt from Colome, she told me of his father dying when Ralph was very young and his mother remarrying a younger brother to his father. His father, Eddie is on the 1910 census and father named Harry is on the 1920 census.
Here is a writeup in a Lake Park Newspaper (Lake Park, Iowa) remember hs was born in Iowa
Jan. 25, 1934
Ralph Kahler of Winner, SD, cousin of Mrs. E. H. Anders of Lake Park, was fatally injured last month when alighting from a train in Colome,SD. He in some manner stumbled and struck his head against a rail, rendering him unconscious for 24 hours before his death. He was 22 years of age. His mother and two brothers survive.
The town of Winner, is 10 miles to the northwest and the railroad went through Winner and Colome. I believe he was a worker on the railroad and was going to visit his girl friend in Colome, when it happened. They removed the body to Winside, Nebraska for burial.
Contributed on 1/12/12 by blplek
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Record #: 200396